When is it Too Hot to Ride?

Summer is here and it is dang hot out there. We need to be super aware of the temperature and humidity levels in order to appropriately adjust our training regiment.

If you are hot, your horse is hotter. Horses overheat 10x faster than humans!

In hot and humid weather it only takes about 17 minutes of moderate exercise for your horse to overheat. Moist air mixed with high temperature can be dangerous since it will slow the rate at which sweat evaporates. This will make it much more difficult for your horse to cool itself.

Here is a simple trick to help you figure out whether or not you should be riding at all in the heat. Add the temperature with the humidity and that number will tell you if it is too hot to ride. If this number is below 130 then you are good to go. Your horse can cool themselves properly assuming adequate hydration. If the number comes out between 130-170 proceed with caution, as your horse’s ability to cool themselves is only partially functioning. If the number is 170 or above you absolutely cannot be riding in that heat. Your horse’s ability to cool themselves is seriously hindered. Extra cooling procedures should be used.

If your horse’s body temperature rises above 100 degrees fahrenheit, it can be very, very serious. Horses suffering from excessive heat stress can experience hypotension, colic and renal failure.

Horses can sweat up to 15-20 liters per hour in cool/dry conditions and up to 30 in hot/humid conditions. Only 25% of the sweat your horse produces is effective in cooling them, as opposed to 50% in humans. The salt in horse’s sweat is 4x more concentrated than in humans, so they lose more salt and electrolytes when they sweat that will need to be replaced.

The best way to cool your horse is to rinse them in cool water, scrape off excess water and repeat. You can lower your horse’s temperature by 2 degrees every 1-7 minutes by using this method.

Quick Numbers:

BELOW 130 = Good to go!

BETWEEN 130-170 = Proceed with Caution

ABOVE 170 = STOP RIDING

Another helpful trick to find out if your horse is dehydrated:

You can also perform a skin pinch test to see if your horse is dehydrated. Pinch up a fold of the horse’s skin and then release it. Skin should immediately return back into its natural position. If the skin remains in a ridge from two to five seconds this could be a sign of dehydration. The longer the skin remains in a ridge can determine the severity of the lack of water in the horse’s system. Skin that remains in a ridge appearance for ten to fifteen seconds is the alert for immediate veterinary assistance, for the skin is demonstrating severe dehydration signs.

Stay tuned for Wednesday's post about Horses and how to spot signs of dehydration!

Stay safe and cool this summer!

Happy Riding!